Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

सुखासनोपविष्टं तं धूपमाल्यानुलेपनैः । अर्चयित्वा वरान्नेन भोजयामास सादरम्

Transliteration

sukhāsanopaviṣṭaṃ taṃ dhūpamālyānulepanaiḥ | arcayitvā varānnena bhojayāmāsa sādaram

Translation

Lorsqu’il fut assis à l’aise, elle l’honora d’encens, de guirlandes et d’onguents parfumés ; puis, avec un respect attentif, elle le nourrit de mets exquis.

Word by Word

• sukha-āsana-upaviṣṭam: seated on a comfortable seat
• sukha-āsana-upaviṣṭam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha (सुख) + āsana (आसन) + upaviṣṭa (उपविष्ट, उप-√viś क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (tam/munim); तत्पुरुषसमासः (सुखम् आसनम् यस्मिन् तस्मिन् उपविष्टः)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dhūpa-mālya-anulepanaiḥ: with incense, garlands, and unguents
• dhūpa-mālya-anulepanaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhūpa (धूप) + mālya (माल्य) + anulepana (अनुलेपन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• arcayitvā: having worshipped
• arcayitvā: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (अर्च् धातु) + णिच् (causative) + त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having worshipped’

• vara-annena: with excellent food
• vara-annena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (वर) + anna (अन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental Singular); कर्मधारयः (वरम् अन्नम्)

• bhojayāmāsa: fed
• bhojayāmāsa: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (भुज् धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त-धातु — ‘(he) caused to eat/fed’

• sādaram: respectfully
• sādaram: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa-ādara (सादर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial accusative) — ‘with respect’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; exact speaker not in excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage sits on a comfortable seat; the devotee offers incense smoke, places garlands, applies sandal paste, and serves a fine meal on a leaf/plate; the atmosphere is fragrant and orderly.

Characters & Entities

• Śāradā
• Naidhruva (sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring and feeding the worthy (anna-dāna with reverence) is portrayed as a high dharma that attracts auspicious blessings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse glorifies the ‘tīrtha of the guest’—the saintly person.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upacāras of honor (dhūpa, mālya, anulepana) and anna-sevā (feeding) as elements of atithi-satkara.